Virginia High School Sweethearts’ Elegant Countryside Wedding

Why put up with the gloomy wet rains of winter? To prepare for the lush Spring garden weddings to come, of course!

Today, we walk (virtually) through the countryside of Virginia to remind ourselves of all the beautiful elegant garden weddings we have coming in just a few short months.

High school sweethearts Lisa & Matthew know romance. The two started their young love on the school bus with a song written from the heart (so sweet!) and as they say ‘the rest is history’. It’s no surprise that the two classic lovebirds understood how simple, organic beauty can fill your wedding day with romance.

Choosing a naturally stunning venue in the rolling hills of Virginia, and embellishing their space with simple greenery and light blush details, their true love shined through the elegant, understated decor. Photographed in dreamy fine art style by Morgan Renee, we’re daydreaming of all the sweet garden weddings to come in 2020.

Our Love Story

We are high school sweethearts! We met our sophomore year of high school and hit it off immediately. Matthew actually wrote me a song to ask me to be his girlfriend, recorded it and played it for me on the bus going to school one morning! So romantic!

Our proposal in November of 2017 was actually very special to both of us because Matthew had been in a very serious car accident and had spent a week in the hospital just that past October. He brought me to the beautiful James River in Richmond, VA and got down on one knee (very carefully, because he also had major surgery due to the accident) and the rest is history!

The Venue

After getting engaged, we started the process of looking for a venue. The Market at Grelen was the ONLY venue we toured because as soon as we pulled up, we knew our wedding HAD to be there. From the views of the mountains to the beautiful property itself, we instantly fell in love. We had always envisioned getting married somewhere that looked exceptionally romantic and had a garden feel, and The Market at Grelen embodied our vision perfectly.

Varying shades of light pink, rustic elements and lush greenery helped my fairytale-like wedding dreams come true. I also was adamant about having a sweetheart table, separate from our wedding parties and guests, so that Matthew and I could have little moments alone together throughout the reception.

The Photography & Videography

Shortly after booking the venue, we began to book our vendors. Photography and videography were where both Matthew and I wanted to place most of our budget in, as those are the items that you will keep for the rest of your life.

Morgan, our photographer, was nothing short of perfect. Often, I go through our wedding photo gallery and get emotional at how she was able to capture our day SO perfectly. I love how she pays attention to the littlest details. A good example of this is a photo she took of a little butterfly on one of the ceremony chairs before the wedding started. Incorporating such a small detail like that was exactly why we chose her!

Our videographer, Sam, with byDesign Films, was exceptional as well. He was at every moment, quietly recording in the background, getting all the little details and crazy dance moves during the reception!

Favorite Moments

Lisa’s favorite moment of the day was walking down the aisle with her mom:

I had envisioned that moment for so long, holding hands with my mom as I walked toward the love of my life. It was very emotional! Seeing Matthew shed a few happy tears at the end of the aisle will be a memory that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Matthew’s favorite moment of the day was our grand sparkler exit:

It was my favorite moment because everyone that we love and care about so much was in one place, cheering Lisa and I on, as we started the rest of our lives as husband and wife! It’s such a strong feeling of love and happiness that I hope I never forget!

The Details

Looking back, there is nothing we would change about the day. Everything was perfect in our eyes, which we are blessed to say. The décor, the weather, the food, everything. It was also simple. We didn’t want to much over-the-top décor, because that’s not how Matthew and I are. Having our wedding at such a beautiful venue like The Market at Grelen also made décor a non-essential for us, as the venue is already engulfed in lush greenery and flowers.

Advice to Other Couples

For couples planning their big day, we just have a couple of bits of advice: the first being, book your venue and vendors early! Waiting till the last minute with anything is never good, but especially with wedding planning. Vendors can be booked up to two years in advance, so finding your venue and then booking your vendors right after is a sure way to alleviate some stress early on!

Second, you may think you have a plan as to how the day will go, but most likely it will not all go to plan. You may run out of something, or the weather could change, but keep your spirits up! This is the best day of your life! Your guests are only there to see you and your partner make a lifelong promise to each other and celebrate with you, trust me, they will not know anything went wrong!

The Honeymoon

Matthew and I decided to do a delayed honeymoon, mainly due to work restrictions, but are glad we made that decision. As traditional as it is to go straight to paradise after getting married, it’s just not doable sometimes, due to work or flights being very expensive at that time of year. By taking a delayed honeymoon and pushing it out a few months after the wedding, Matthew and I are able to plan an amazing trip somewhere we can relax and not have to worry or rush about getting back to work quickly. Plus, it makes it exciting to have another thing to anticipate after the wedding, because the after- wedding blues are tough sometimes!